Approval for hotel covered in plants

The largest green wall in Europe has been approved for the City of London, with a new hotel to go where an old office block currently sits.

Garish Holborn kiosk to be replaced with hexagons

The decade old information kiosk outside Holborn tube station could be replaced by a series of digital screens, if plans by the local business group is carried out.

Europe’s largest green wall planned for London hotel

Holborn viaduct is a long corridor of unremitting office blocks being very glass and stone, but one could go up that will be covered in green plants.

London’s Alleys: Hand Court, WC1

This is a modern looking alley that runs off Holborn, but like many of the area can date its origins to medieval London.

London’s Alleys: Cosmo Place, WC1

This is an alley of mixed appearances, with a claimed link to the madness of King George III.

London’s Alleys: Great Turnstile, WC2

This is the greater of three turnstile alleys in the Holborn area, although only greater in name not in stature.

Holborn road junction getting a “super crossing”

If you use the area, you might have noticed building works at the road junction outside Holborn tube station.

London’s Alleys: Chichester Rents, WC2

This rather dramatic and modern looking alley is a modern redevelopment of an alley that can trace its heritage back to the original developments along Chancery Lane.

The Bedford Row water pump

On a grand side street in Holborn can be found an equally grand-looking water pump.

London’s Alleys: Dyer’s Buildings, EC1

This slightly posh looking alley off Holborn is a recent redevelopment of a series of much older buildings, and the alley itself is ancient.

London’s Pocket Parks: Alf Barrett Playground

Ever engage in a bit of quick research thinking this wont be difficult and an hour later am screaming at how little seems to be known about it. That's this pocket park.

London’s Alleys: Three Cups Yard, WC1

This short alley through a pub gateway is a pale shadow of its much larger past, where old warehouses and shops are now achingly expensive flats.

London’s Alleys: Ely Court, EC1

This is an ancient alley of legendary status and about which many myths have been written.

The Pilgrim’s Progress remembered in Holborn

A hotel in Holborn also contains a most unexpected statue -- of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress.

A memorial to the founder of modern Italy – in London

Not far from Holborn in a part of town known as Little Italy is a plaque in memory of the man credited with the founding of modern Italy.

Inside the Church of St Anselm and St Cæcilia

This century-old church in Holborn is a reminder of anti-catholic protests and a street widening programme to sweep away slumps.

London’s Alleys: Warwick Court, WC1

This alley with a mix of modern and old buildings is a legacy of an impressive house and impressive bombing raids during WW2.

Novelty Automation comes to London

A small shop on a small side street now contains a small collection of sea-side style mechanical entertainments.

80th anniversary of the closure of the British Museum tube station

On this morning 80 years ago, just after midnight, a tube station closed its doors for the very last time, and a few hours later, two new platforms came into use at another station just a couple of hundred yards away.

The Newgate Execution Bell – now in a Holborn Church

A large church stands on the corner opposite the Old Bailey and I have passed its locked gates for rather more years than I care to remember, for church that is open for a few hours each day during the week - has never been open when I am passing.

Photos from inside the abandoned Kingsway Tram Tunnels

An abandoned tunnel under Holborn that has been closed for 60 years is to come back to life over the next couple of years as it is to be taken over by Crossrail as a suitable location for some of their hidden enabling works.

It’s the 250th anniversary of the Cock Lane ghost

At some point in a January 250 years ago, in a rented apartment near Holborn, the ghost of a recently dead wife appeared to warn that she had been murdered by her husband.

Photos of the Church of St. Alban the Martyr in Holborn

Wandering around London I tend to keep my eyes either watching the ground for any curious manhole covers or the like – or looking around the tops to see what might catch my attention. Sometimes, one of those things is…

Subways and tunnels under the City of London

I mentioned the other day that I recently acquired a copy of a City of London report into possible rebuilding plans for the City following the end of World War 2 and that it contains a lot of maps of…